Lawson Crouse, Matias Maccelli and JJ Moser all have something to prove next season for the Arizona Coyotes after all showing promise during the 2022-23 campaign
While the start of the 2023-24 season for the Arizona Coyotes is months away, it's hard not to look ahead.
Which Coyotes’ players have the most to prove going into next year?
Lawson Crouse:
Lawson Crouse broke out during the 2021-22 campaign for Arizona tallying 20 goals, 14 assists and 34 points. Crouse was even better this past season as he had 24 goals, 21 assists and 45 points.
Now that Crouse has shown consistency over the past two years there is some expectation for him to perform. He has proven the ability to be an excellent goal scorer in the NHL. A third season scoring 20 plus goals would only solidify that point even further.
Crouse has an important role for the Coyotes as a top-six forward and plays on the power play so his success will be critical for the team.
Also, at only 25-years-old, Crouse is still young and could be a big piece for the Coyotes’ future if he continues to score at a steady pace.
Matias Maccelli:
Matias Maccelli was drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Coyotes. He had a successful rookie campaign playing 64 games while showing a ton of promise. The 22-year-old scored 11 goals to go along with 38 assists and 49 points.
Maccelli had the second most points by any rookie last year only trailing the Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers.
Next season will be a huge one for Maccelli to see if he can improve upon his rookie campaign. While Maccelli is already a top-six forward, there is still much more that he can unlock to his game.
If Maccelli comes out next year and plays at an even higher level, it will be clear that he should be a player the Coyotes’ want to keep and build around for years to come.
J.J. Moser:
J.J. Moser, a 2021 second round draft pick by the Coyotes, played a complete 82-game season for the first time in his young career. The 23-year-old defenseman had seven goals, 24 assists and 31 points.
Moser was able to make a big impact playing on the first unit of the power play. He also contributed on the penalty kill establishing himself as an effective two-way defenseman.
Next season, Moser has the opportunity to prove his worth as a future top-four maybe even top-two defenseman.
He already shouldered a huge role in just his second season so the team will likely look to rely on Moser even more come next year.